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Wolves head into Region 7 baseball tourney as No. 1 seed

Posted 5/16/12 (Wed)

By Neal A. ShipmanFarmer Editor

Watford City’s varsity baseball team wrapped up its regular season play this past week and will be advancing to the Region 7 Tournament in Makoti.
“We are the No. 1 seed going into the regional tournament with a record of 6-2,” states Justin Johnsrud, Wolves’ head coach. “It is anybody’s tournament as there is no clear-cut favorite. If we play solid defensively and hit the ball like we can, we have an excellent chance of winning the Region 7 Tournament.”
The Wolves had a busy schedule last week as Watford City split in action against Des Lacs-Burlington, Lewis & Clark and Trinity Christian.Watford 13, DLB 7
DLB 6, Watford 5
Watford City had everything working for them last Tuesday as the Wolves scored 13 runs on 14 hits as the Wolves knocked off Des Lacs-Burlington, 13-7, in the first game of double-header action.
But the Wolves came up short in the second game falling to the Lakers 6-5.
“We played well against DLB,” stated Johnsrud. “Andrew Sampsel had another solid outing on the mound for us as he had three strikeouts and no walks in 5 2/3 innings.”
Watford City scored six runs in the first three innings of play to hold a 6-3 lead and then put the icing on the cake with a six-run fifth inning.
“Brice Brenno came in to replace Sampsel in the sixth inning and struck out one without giving up a hit,” said Johnsrud. “We hit the ball well, especially with runners in scoring position.”
At the plate, Brandon Taylor was three for three, while Nate Egeberg was one for one with a double and drew three walks.
In the second game of the day, the Wolves led the Lakers, 5-2, before giving up four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the loss.
Nate Egeberg took the loss on the mound for the Wolves.
Game 1 R H E
Watford City 2 2 2 0 6 0 1 13 14 6
DLB 0 1 2 0 1 3 0 7 10 1
Game 2 R H E
DLB 1 0 0 1 4 6 4 2
Watford City 0 2 2 0 1 5 5 3Lewis & Clark 9, Watford 3
Watford 16, Lewis & Clark 11
Watford City struggled to get its bats going against Lewis & Clark on Thursday as the Wolves split with the Wildcats, losing the first game, 9-3, before coming back to take the second game, 16-11.
“While we played well on Tuesday, the game against Makoti was another story,” stated Johnsrud. “We played well for the first 2½ innings but after that we kind of fell apart. Mental mistakes really hurt us and we just couldn’t get anything going after the third inning.”
The Wolves jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first 2½ innings, but the Wildcats would rally to score six unanswered runs to take the win.
Lucas Nicholson was the losing pitcher for the Wolves.
The second game was a different story for Watford City as the Wolves blasted Lewis & Clark 16-11.
Quayde Shores picked up the win on the mound for the Wolves.
Game 1 R H E
Watford City 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 2
Lewis & Clark 0 3 0 0 4 2 0 9 10 3
Game 2 R H E
Watford City 2 5 6 2 1 16 14 0
Lewis & Clark 5 0 4 2 0 11 17 5Watford 15, Trinity Christian
Trinity Christian 8, Watford 7
The Wolves capped off their busy schedule last week splitting with the Williston Trinity Crusaders on Friday. The Wolves took the first game, 15-2, and then lost the second game, 8-7.
“We bounced back nicely against Trinity Christian on Friday,” stated Johnsrud. “Andrew Sampsel was the winning pitcher with Nate Egeberg coming in for relief in the fifth inning.”
The Wolves scored 15 runs on 17 hits in what Johnsrud says was the Wolves’ best game of the season.
“Hopefully, this win will give us the momentum that we need going into the regional tournament.”
Watford City got onto the scoreboard early in the game scoring four runs in the first two innings of play and then capped off their 15-2 win with nine runs in the sixth inning.
At the plate Sampsel was three for three including a homerun, while Brandon Taylor was three for four with two doubles and Quayde Shores was two for two.
In the second game, Trinity Christian edged the Wolves 8-7.
Game 1 R H E
Watford City 3 1 0 2 0 9 15 17 2
Trinity 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 7 4
Game 2 R H E
Watford City 1 0 0 5 1 0 7 7 0
Trinity 4 1 0 2 0 1 8 11 2